Artexpo Atlanta accomplishes objectives: exhibitors predict bright future for inaugural event

ATLANTA -- Capitalizing on the success of the world-renowned Artexpo New York, the first-ever Artexpo Atlanta, held at the Georgia World Congress Center in September, is now one for the books.

Held in conjunction with the 25th annual DECOR Expo Atlanta, Artexpo Atlanta attracted 6,723 attendees, including 2,080 consumers, and nearly 100 exhibitors of fine art works accounting for 226 booths, while DECOR Expo attracted 11,113 attendees and 546 exhibitors occupying 1,352 booths.

While some exhibitors were concerned over the lighter-than-anticipated booth traffic--possibly because of lower attendance by Florida buyers due to the event being held between Hurricanes Frances and Ivan (see "Galleries Share Hurricane Survival Strategies" page 12)--Artexpo Atlanta was a resounding success in terms of meeting its objectives, reported Hugh Tobin, Artexpo show director. (Artexpo is a presentation of the International Art and Framing Group (IAFG), a division of Cleveland-based Pfingsten Publishing, L.L.C., parent company of ABN.)

"Our goals," said Tobin, "were as follows: to help ensure the success of our existing exhibitors, those who went from DECOR Expo to Artexpo. We wanted to be sure that our exhibitors' current customers were able to locate them, and at the same time, we wanted our Artexpo exhibitors to reach a whole new client base."

Tobin continued, "We wanted to establish the show's identity in the Atlanta market. The marketing efforts leveraged the strength of the Artexpo brand and helped attract qualified buyers on the [two] consumer days.

While Tobin said next year's floor plan will be altered to maximize site lines and traffic flow, he added that this year's effort proved beyond a doubt that the concept of combining DECOR Expo with Artexpo works.

Moving forward, the plan calls for Artexpo to be held annually in both Atlanta and New York, where it was born 27 years ago.

"Like Artexpo New York," said Eric Smith, vice president of IAFG, "Artexpo Atlanta is on its way toward becoming a don't-miss event for people in Atlanta who love art, and for those interested in adding to, or starting, their collections."

As for next year, Tobin predicted that "the Atlanta event will be even bigger and better.

"There is a definite buzz from this year's exhibition that will help us to attract even more high-quality exhibitors next year," Tobin said. "The show will continue to grow in size and importance, and we're looking forward to an even greater participation by members of the Atlanta Gallery Association."

Of the 29 Atlanta Gallery Association (AGA) members, eight exhibited at this year's Artexpo. Giving the event high marks were AGA members Mark Karelson, president of Glenmark Editions, Modern Primitive Gallery and Mason Muter Gallery; Norm Bingham, director of sales at Glenmark Editions; Shawn Vinson, owner of Vinson Gallery; and Skot Foreman, owner of Skot Foreman Fine Art.

Karelson and Bingham told ABN that traffic into their booth was strong. Vinson said Artexpo was a "great looking show." And Foreman said Artexpo delivered the customers to its exhibitors and that the event has great potential for growth.

"I could see this becoming the kick-off event for the art fair season," commented Foreman shortly before the show's conclusion.

And even on the DECOR Expo side of the hall, exhibitors such as Charlie Kimbell, vice president and director of marketing for Wild Apple Graphics, Woodstock, VT, said that the decision to hold Artexpo and DECOR Expo at the same time in Atlanta was the right one. "Whenever you do anything that attracts a greater number of buyers, the entire art market benefits."

Right Place

Other Artexpo exhibitors, such as Claret Arts, Atlanta; Collectors Editions, Canoga Park, CA; [S.sup.2] Art Group, Chicago; and Washington Green USA Fine Art, Stafford, TX, found the Atlanta event to be a solid venue for promoting new programs and artists.

Steve Wetzel, director of creative services at Collectors Editions, described the event as a "beautiful show" and Beth Blankenship, vice president of Washington Green USA Fine Art, said that the Artexpo staff deserved credit for a "smoothly run" event.

Visitors to the Collectors Editions booth had the sense that they were roaming the rooms of a fine art gallery, where they could peruse works ranging from innovative landscapes by artists such as Joanny (see "Art Captures Summer Memories," October ABN, page 14) and Peter Ellenshaw, as well as Disney fine art by artists such as Trevor Carlton, who is known for re-creating popular Disney characters during a furious frenzy of performance painting to music, ranging from New Age to Motown, and executed by Carlton's disc jockey, Michael Benson (whose wife, Tricia Buchanan-Benson, is also a Collectors Editions Disney artist).

Carlton performed/painted during the Artexpo Atlanta Preview Party, resulting in a Mickey Mouse "Fantasia" painting that was auctioned off for $700, which benefited the following local Atlanta arts organizations: Atlanta Gallery Association, MOCAga, Art Papers and the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center.